Travel stories of Columbus

10 Columbus Bands to Know

The amount of musical talent in Columbus is bountiful, endless and diverse, which brings about the subjective question as to who is deserving of top billing in Columbus. Below you can find 10 acts worthy of your musical praise, whether they be known staples in the community that are a must-sees for beginner local concert-goers or artists on their way to city-wide acclaim.

One of the most exciting up-and-coming projects out of Columbus, Booty&theKidd strives to create jazz and hip-hop music on a futuristic plane. With the group’s debut studio album released this past June, lush melodies are accompanied by intricate instrumental layers and ruminative lyrics. The group’s output in the studio puts them amongst Columbus’ finest musicians.

If you find yourself a fan of synthesizers and laser lights, then a Damn the Witch Siren show is where you want to be. The futuristic pop handcrafted by the duo of Bobbi Kitten and Z Wolf has been turning heads on dancefloors with a sexy twist.

Self-dubbed “backyard BBQ breakup music,” the collective of Nick D’Andrea, Jon Elliott and friends released a pair of albums this past Record Store Day that truly showcases the rock-and-roll outfit’s span across a slew of genres. With a unique knack for writing relatable licks in a fashion à la Dr. Dog and Smokey Robinson, Doc Robinson has a passion for the past as well as a foot in the future when crafting tunes.

As far as having a conversation about the most talented emcees in Columbus goes, you won’t find yourself getting very far without mention of Dominique Larue’s name. An entrepreneurial rapper who preaches self-care in her music, Larue possess the wisdom of an old head along with the tenacity of rap’s youth that allows her passion to double as a career.

What has now become one of the city’s staple jam bands, Electric Orange Peel not only celebrates success in Columbus but has received billings on Summer Camp and The Werk Out music festivals. The progressive group blends classical with funk, spanning areas of jazz and psychedelic; simply put, they’re just what one is looking for when seeking a night of intricate jams.

While a live Mistar Anderson set will surely lift one’s spirits, understanding how the hip-hop/jazz initiative creates a modern blend of genres brings about a whole new level of appreciation. Sampling old records and bringing them back to life through live instrumentation and emcee Eric Rollin’s introspective lyrics allows for Mistar Anderson to attract a wide audience.

Celebrating 10 years during this calendar cycle, the musical production that is MojoFlo has been pumping positivity into the Columbus community consistently over a decade. The effortless fusion of jazz, R&B, big band and jams can usually get a whole room going in no time. Summer brings out the best in this club of some of Columbus’ most talented musicians, which was birthed just over at Capital University.

Releasing an EP and opening for Franz Ferdinand at this year’s CD102.5 Day just starts to scratch the surface on what Tourist Trap has accomplished in the first half of 2018. The alternative upbeat rockers paint a perfect soundtrack for spring and summer, lending to days filled with porch drinking and nights fighting against the plague of getting old.

Rock-n-roll is not dead, and The Turbos are a perfect local example of that falsified adage. The group combines “supercharged” live music with a revolutionary attitude and have hit a fluid stride with the two in 2018.

Since the band’s inception, Zoo Trippin’ has tried to be everywhere around and everything that is Columbus; and they have been, deservingly so. If you’re searching for an injection of rock-n-roll that will blow your mind away, look no further than a live Zoo Trippin’ set. Raucous guitars, a madman frontman and long, glorious hair, what more could you ask for from a local rock outfit?

Author: Zak Kolesar

Zak Kolesar is the executive editor at In The Record Store, Columbus' go-to destination for local music coverage. Helping launch the blog and magazine wings of ITRS, Zak has been covering local music since he enrolled at Ohio State to study journalism in 2015. Graduating in 2017, Zak has since stayed on with ITRS as the brand grows across Columbus. Zak spends most of his free time attending shows, both local and national, throughout the city and loves promoting positive music.